St Peter's - Chapel of the Pieta From: 'Guide to Saint Peter's Basilica ' This is probably the world's most famous sculpture of a religious subject. Michelangelo carved it when he was 24 years old, and it is the only one he ever signed. The beauty of its lines and expression leaves a lasting impression on everyone. With this magnificent statue Michelangelo has given us a highly spiritual and Christian view of human suffering. Artists before and after Michelangelo always depicted the Virgin with the dead Christ in her arms as grief stricken, almost on the verge of desperation. Michelangelo, on the other hand, created a highly supernatural feeling. As she holds Jesus' lifeless body on her lap, the Virgin's face emanates sweetness, serenity and a majestic acceptance of this immense sorrow, combined with her faith in the Redeemer. It seems almost as if Jesus is about to reawaken from a tranquil sleep and that after so much suffering and thorns, the rose of resurrection is about to bloom. As we contemplate the Pieta which conveys peace and tranquility, we can feel that the great sufferings of life and its pain can be mitigated.

Here, many Christians recall the price of their redemption and pray in silence. The words may be those of the "Salve Regina" or "Sub tuum presidium" or another prayer. After Peter's Tomb, the Pieta Chapel is the most frequently visited and silent place in the entire basilica. It is said that Michelangelo had been criticized for having portrayed the Virgin Mary as too young since she actually must have been around 45-50 years old when Jesus died. He answered that he did so deliberately because the effects of time could not mar the virginal features of this, the most blessed of women. He also said that he was thinking of his own mother's face, he was only five when she died: the mother's face is a symbol of eternal youth. From: 'St. Peter's Basilica - A Virtual Tour' by Our Sunday Visitor Immediately adjacent is the Pietï¿½ Chapel, formerly of the Crucifix. As in the whole of the rest of the tour, visitors should first of all look upwards to admire the mosaic decoration of the cupola, the subject of which centers on the Mystery of the Cross and the salvation deriving from it.

The vault shows an apocalyptic vision of the Chosen, spared by the scourges, because they are marked on their foreheads by the angels. The corbels show Noah's Arc, symbol of salvation, the Sacrifice of Abraham symbolizing Jesus' sacrifice, Moses with the Tablets of the Law, and Jeremiah imploring on the ruins of Jerusalem, which allude to the new pact of salvation. The two lunettes closest to the altar show the Cumaean and Phrygian Sibyls, on whose phylacteries the prophesies of the Passion are written; in the others are Hosea, Isaiah, Amos and Zechariah, prophets of the trials and sacrifice of Christ. The mosaics were executed by F. Cristofari to drawings by Ferri and Pietro da Cortona. This last artist has rightly been called the Bernini of painting, due both to the number and to the artistic value of his works in the Basilica. On the small cupola above the altar is the Triumph of the Cross, frescoed by Lanfranco, the only painting in the church which has not been transformed into a mosaic.

The name of this Chapel, which originally housed a Crucifix, changed in 1749, when Michelangelo's Pietï¿½ was placed there. Thus both on entry and exit from the Basilica, where the Baptistry Chapel may be found, as pointed out by Galassi Paluzzi, there are places dedicated to Mary and to John the Baptist, that is to Christ's mother and forerunner, who also represent the two great sources of health: blood and water. ........................ The Pieta (Italian for ï¿½pityï¿½), which depicts the Virgin Mary holding the body of her son Jesus Christ after his death, has been created in many different forms by various painters and sculpture. Of all the great paintings and sculptures on the Pieta the one by Michelangelo stands out from all the rest. Michelangelo was relatively unknown to the world as an artist. He was only 24 when he was formally commissioned on Aug. 27, 1498 by Cardinal Jean Bilheres de Lagraulas, the French kingï¿½s envoy to the pope, to do a life size sculpture of the Virgin Mary holding her son in her arms.

It would be the first of four that he would create in his lifetime and the only one he completely finished. It was to be unveiled in St. Peter's Basilica for the Jubilee of 1500. In less than two years Michelangelo carved from a single slab of marble, one of the most magnificent sculptures ever created. His interpretation of the Pieta was far different than ones created previously by other artists. Michelangelo decided to create a youthful, serene and celestial Virgin Mary instead of a broken hearted and somewhat older woman. When he received the commission for the famous sculpture, Michelangelo had been living in Rome for just two years and had only completed two sculptures, a lost Cupid-Apollo and a Baccus for the banker Jacopo Galli. When it was first unveiled in the chapel of Santa Petronilla in the old St. Peterï¿½s, a proud Michelangelo stood by and watched as people admired the beautiful Pieta. Perhaps his pride turned into anger as he overheard a group of people attributing the work to other artists of his time. This caused Michelangelo to add one last thing to his sculpture. Across the sash on the Virgin Mary, Michelangelo carved his name. "MICHAEL.

ANGELUS. BONAROTUS. FLORENT. FACIEBAT" (Michelangelo Buonarroti of Florence Created This). He later regretted that his emotions got the best of him and vowed to never sign another one of his works again. The statue stands 69 inches high and depicts a surprisingly young Mary. Asked why he chose to portray Christï¿½s mother like that, Michelangelo answered, ï¿½Women who are pure in soul and body never grow old.ï¿½ The cardinal had planned to use the Pietï¿½ for his tomb. Sometime in 1497 the cardinal and Michelangelo had reached an agreement about the commission and on November 18 the cardinal wrote to the officials of the tiny republic-state of Lucca, to the north of Rome in Tuscany. He requested they help Michelangelo find the marble he would need for the statue.

ï¿½We have recently agreed with master Michele Angelo di Ludovico, Florentine sculptor and bearer of this, that he make for us a marble tombstone, namely a clothed Virgin Mary with a dead Christ naked in her arms, to place in a certain chapel, which we intend to found in St. Peterï¿½s in Rome. ï¿½ And on his presently repairing to those parts to excavate and transport here the marbles necessary for such a work, we confidently beg your lordships out of consideration for us to extend to him every help and favor in this matter. . . .ï¿½ Lucca was known for its marble quarries, including Carrara, which yielded the largest, finest blocks of the brittle white stone that was so hard to work with, but especially prized by sculptors. From the end of November 1497 to the end of December Michelangelo was in Carrara getting the marble he needed. When the statue was installed in 1500 Cardinal Bilheres had died.

Vasari, when talking about the Pietï¿½, says: "No sculptor or supreme artist could ever consider it possible to add with design or grace nor with effort improve the elegance, linearity and sculpt the marble with such artistic talent." From: 'Guide to St Peter's Basilica' ï¿½ Libreria Editrice Vaticana The abbot commissioned the sculpture to decorate his tomb inthe ancient Chapel of St Michael Archangel and St Petronilla, built on the external left side of the Constantinian Basilica. Before 1520 the chapel was destroyed to give room to the building of the new Basilica and the Pietï¿½ was moved to the ancient secretaire, to the left side of the facade, one of the places where the Pope doned the vestments when he celebrated in St Peter's. In 1568, on the suggestion of the Vatican Canon Antonio Carafa, it was moved and set over the altar of the Chapel of the Choir, built by Sixtus V and dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. The new location soon showed some drawbacks: the poor light inside affected visibility and visitors were not allowed to enter the Basilica during the liturgies.

The Canon Ludovico Bianchetti tried to solve those problems. For the Holy Year of 1575 he adorned the Virgin's neck with a marble ornament and put her on a base, but this made the work hidden even more. Paul V approved the building of the new aisle in 1609 and the Pietï¿½ was moved again, awaiting to be set in the new Choir. It was temporarily located in the room prepared to officiate the canons - the left side transept, over the altar of Sts Simon and Jude (at present the altar of St Joseph). After the decision to adorn the altar of the Chapel of the Choir with a mosaic representing the Immaculate Conception, it was noted that the presence of two Madonnas was not possible. On the night of December 3, 1749 Pope Benedict XIV ordered its further and definitive moving, together with the elliptic cottanello base, made by Francesco Borromini in 1626, then modified in 1968. New York World's Fair Guidebook 1964/1965 The most important work of art at the Fair is on display here.

Michelangelo's 469-year-old masterpiece in carved Carrara marble, the Pietï¿½, generally held to be one of the finest examples of Christian art in any medium. Installed in Old St. Peters Basilica in 1499, it had never been taken from the Vatican until the late Pope John XXIII granted permission for it to be brought to the Fair. The pavilion in which it is exhibited is an oval shaped building topped by a cross, with a curving wall extending from the entrance. The pavilion and its contents have as their theme, The Church is Christ Living in the World. The Masterwork The Pietï¿½ represents the body of Christ in the arms of His mother just after He was taken down from the cross. The work, six feet long by five feet nine inches high, is shown in a setting created by stage designer Jo Mielziner. Spectators are carried past it on three moving platforms at different heights. There is a walkway for those who wish to view it at their own pace.

From: Vatican Information Service PAUL VI HAD NO INTENTION OF SELLING MICHELANGELO'S PIETA VATICAN CITY, FEB 1, 2002 (VIS) - This morning, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration regarding the supposed intention expressed by Pope Paul VI to sell Michelangelo's "Pietï¿½" and give the proceeds to the poor: "This news has absolutely no foundation. Indeed, it was Paul VI who, following the exposition of the 'Pietï¿½' in the United States, gave specific indications that Michelangelo's marble sculpture should not leave the Vatican again without special permission from the Holy Father, through the Secretariat of State." OP/PIETA MICHELANGELO/NAVARRO-VALLS VIS 20020201 (100) The Pieta was damaged on Pentecost Sunday, May 21, 1972 at 11:30am with fifteen blows from a hammer by Laszlo Toth, a Hungarian-born Australian, who cried, 'I am Jesus Christ'.

From: Newsweek, June 5, 1972 An Assassin Strikes ....Even a scratch to the 473-year old Pietï¿½ , the only signed sculpture by the greatest sculptor of all time, would justify such caution - but the damage in this case was sickeningly extensive. The hammer blows cleaved the nose from the Madonna's exquisite, sorrowful face. They gouged her left eyelid, neck, head and veil. They broke her left arm off at the elbow, and the fingers snapped off as the hand hit the floor. Meticulously wielding feather dusters, Vatican officials had collected more than 50 shards of marble. A few fragments were retrieved from wax drippings from candles that surround the Pietï¿½. Three others were returned to the Vatican by tourists who took them as souvenirs. Italy's renowned sculptor Giacome Manzu declared that he was the only one able to restore the statue. X-rays taken before the Pietï¿½ was shipped to the New York World's Fair in 1964 revealed that the Madonna's left hand had been broken and replaced in the eighteenth century by some anonymous sculptor.

From: The New York Times A Hammer For the Madonna The mutilation of Michelangelo's "Pieta" last Sunday by a mentally disturbed young man shocked the world as an act of mayhem against one of the supreme masterpieces in the history of Western art. Laszlo Toth, 33, a Hungarian-born Australian, had leaped over a guard rail in St Peter's crying, "I'm Jesus Christ!" and attacked the statue with a hammer. The left arm of the Virgin was shattered and the nose, left eye and veil were chipped. A personal promise by Pope John XXIII to the late Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York, led to the transfer of the Pietï¿½ to the United States for display in the Vatican Pavilion at the World's Fair. The temporary removal of the Pietï¿½ from the Vatican was nevertheless controversial. In September, 1965, Pope Paul issued a decree banning any further loans of art works in the Vatican. During the time the Pietï¿½ was on display at the World's Fair, a reproduction took its place in St Peter's.

Today's attack was the first major damage suffered by a work of art in St Peter's since a German broke two fingers off the statue of a kneeling Pope Pius VI two years ago. The statue, by the 19th-century sculptor Canova, was quickly repaired. Small Group Tour of Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica Skip the Line!Bestseller!Immediate confirmation Small Group Tour of Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica Vatican Small Group Tour: visit Vatican one of the unique awe-inspiring beautiful locations on Earth. Book this skip the Line Vatican Small Group Tour, this tour will get you in to more special areas of the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, and Basilica at St. Peter's. highlights: Exclusive skip-the-line access to many areas of the Vatican, including the Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Visit the main points of interest in the Vatican accompanied by a professional guide. Admire some of the greatest works of art in the world in a small group Explore the lesser-known but fascinating areas of the Vatican City! Excursion includes the use of personal headphones to ensure everyone hear the guide’s explanations.

Description: Tour one of the most sacred sites to all of Christianity in this unforgettable, Skip the Line Vatican small group tour to three of the most important areas of the Vatican City . Skip the line Vatican Small Group Tour to discover the masterpieces of the Vatican Not only will you visit the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel itself, and the rest of St. Peter's Basilica, but you will also see the Gallery of Maps and the Gallery of the Candelabra, the Chambers and Museum of Pio Clementino, the Gallery of Tapestries, the Belvedere and Pigna courtyards, and dozens of other incredible sights. Best of all, you will be accompanied by an extremely experienced guide, who is completely authorized to share the secret history and knowledge hidden within the walls of the Vatican with you. Vatican Small Group Tour: the best experience to explore Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter's Church The vatican small group tour is even capped to 15 participants to ensure everyone has an optimal experience, and you will receive your own pair of personal headphones to ensure you can hear everything the guide has to share with you. Learn about the history and politics of the Vatican, as well as the Church that built it.

Study the incredible architectural features of its buildings, and the majesty and grandeur of the art that suffuses nearly every square inch of space within these hallowed halls, and admire the masterpieces of Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter's Church. Book now a Vatican Small Group Tour to learn more about Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter's Basilica! Vatican Museums are one of the most famous and important museums in the world: they collect masterpieces from some of the most well-known artists of the Renaissance Art, such as Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael . The Saint Peter's Basilica is the mother church of the Catholic Church. During your visit, you will admire one of the most famous masterpiece of the Italian sculpture, the Pietà by Michelangelo , housed in the north aisle of the church. With this small group tour of the Vatican you will also explore the Sistine Chapel: be ready for this experience by taking this virtual tour , and enjoy your tour at its fullest! More Vatican Guided Tours to visit the Vatican City: Vatican Private Vatican Tour Further, if you are looking for a more exclusive experience, you should take a look to our private tour of the Vatican , to make your holidays in Rome absolutely unforgettable.

Raphael's rooms (not included in the 9,45 AM tour and in the 1,45 PM tour) St. Peter's Basilica Skip-the-Line tickets to access the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel 3 hour guided group tour Headphones to listen to a guide excluded: Vatican Tour | Includes Sistine Chapel and Basilica of St. Peter This tour includes all the Vatican City Highlights Vatican Tour Visit the smallest country in the world. In spite of this, it is full of treasures and its works of art tell you two millenia of history. The tour begins outside the walls of the Vatican City at the entrance of the Museums. With our licensed guide you will reach the Belvedere Courtyard and the famous bronze Pinecone. The walk continues through the Pio-Clementino Museum where you will enjoy the collections of ancient Greek-Roman statues Here are the Apollo, the Laocoon and the Torso, so dear to Michelangelo. Next, the Greek Cross Room with porphyry sarcophagi of Constance and Saint Helena. You will then reach the Gallery of the Candelabra, the Gallery of Tapestries, designed by Raphael’s pupils.

and theGallery of Maps, beautiful XVI century frescoes that show detailed maps of all the Italian regions. The visit continues to the Apartments of Pope Pius V and Julius II. These are known as the Stanze di Raffaello because they were painted by the famous artist Raphael. Here are his masterpieces such as the School of Athens and the Fire in Borgo. Our guide will take you across the Apartments of Pope Alexander VI Borgia painted by Pinturicchio and the collection of Modern Art finally reaching the Sistine Chapel, containing the most important works by Michelangelo, Botticelli, Ghirlandaio and other Renaissance masters. The election of new pope takes place here. The tour continues through a reserved passageway toSt. Peter’s Basilica, the grandest church in the world. The guide will take you to the Tombs of the Popes, including that of John Paul II and Paul VI. You will then enter the church and admire the Pietà by Michelangelo, his most famous sculpture. Down the aisle you reach the Papal Altar surmounted by the Bronze Canopy. Our walk will end in St.

Peter’s Square where you will see the Papal Palace as well as the Sistine Chapel Chimney where the smoke comes out following the Pope’s election. Tour details Meeting Point: Vatican Museums Entrance (More details given after booking) Operating Days: Everyday except on Sundays Start Time: Anytime from 8.30 am to 4 pm La Pieta (Vatican City, Italy): Top Tips Before You Go - TripAdvisor Reviewed 2 weeks ago via mobile Just after entering the St. Peter's Basilica, on your right you will see a sculpture of the Madonna cradling her lost son. This is The famous Michelangelo's Pieta .You can pick up of a post card of the sculpture in the Vatican post office nearby and send it to your loved one by post. Helpful? The Vatican - St. Peter Basilica - Trip | Tipter The Vatican - St. Peter Basilica MAY 08,2014 - MAY 08,2014 (1 DAYS) Vatican City - St. Peter Cathedral: Orientation: The St. Peter Basilica is so amazing you could spend all day wandering round and not get bored. The church opens at 7.00 in the morning.

Get up early and turn up at 07.15-07.30. No one is there so you walk straight in. The Basilica has several masses going on at different altars but generally the place is empty. You get to experience and walk around this amazing Cathedral without hundreds of people around you. The tourists buses start to arrive at 09.00. The entrance to the Dome opens at 08.00 which is a must. Pay the extra 2 euro person which takes you to the first landing. Then there is another 300 stairs up to the top. The stairs get very narrow and steep so not for larger people or the unfit. At the top you get a beautiful view of Rome. You also get a great view of the extensive,endless Vatican Gardens. It would be very crowded up here during the day so once again come early and you find that it is enjoyable. Another option: go to the "back" north entrance after midday for less crowds. Tips: 1. Start your visit in the Basilica interior with the ascent to the Cupola or Dome. It is quite exhausting to climb the narrow 311 steps (even with using the lift option).

Since the sun is rising from the east, in the morning, you'll get marvelous views down towards the Vatican Gardens (when you are already on the roof). 2. You'll notice that we repeat several monuments into the St. Peter Basilica - more than once. That, exactly, what will happen to you strolling around the Basilica interior. After criss-crossing the enormous interior - you'll face several monuments more than once. It is very easy to lose your planned path and to keep in a disciplined planned-ahead route. We offer here, more than one route in the Basilica immense interior. With two or three round itineraries - you are supposed to face the same statue, monument or the same chapel - 2 or 3 times. Duration: 3/4 - 1 day. Around the Walls: As it the smallest country in the world and you can walk around the Vatican wall in 1-1.30 hour. Opening Hours - Interiors: Winter : 1 Oct - 31 Mar: 08.00 - 18.30. Summer: 1 Apr - 30 Sep: 07.00 - 19.00.

Opening Hours - Dome - Cupola: Winter : 1 Oct - 31 Mar: 08.00 - 17.00. Summer: 1 Apr - 30 Sep: 08.00 - 18.00. Free admission to the Basilica (except of the Dome). Dome Tickets prices: Lift up to the terrace level and continue on foot (320 steps) ticket € 7.00. Climb 551 steps on foot ticket € 5.00. Blog Content: 2.1 Quick round tour in the Nave and the Chapels (clockwise direction). 2.3 The Aisles and the side Chapels. 2.4 Thirty Nine Tombs and Monuments in the Basilica. 3. The Catacombs / the Crypt. (photos not allowed !). 4. Climbing to the Dome / Cupola / Basilica roof. 5. St. Peter Square (piazza). ( incl.: Papal Audience, attending masses, Vatican Apartments, fountains and statues in the square). 1. St. Peter Basilica Exterior: St.

Peter Basilica Facades: The square is outlined by a monumental colonnade by Bernini, its open arms symbolically welcoming the world into the Catholic Church. Between the obelisk and each fountain is a circular stone that marks the focal points of an ellipse. If you stand on one of these points, the two rows columns of the colonnade line up perfectly and appear to be just a single row. The grand East Facade of St Peter's Basilica, 116 m wide and 53 m high. Built from 1608 to 1614, it was designed by Carlo Modeno. The central balcony is called the Loggia of the Blessings and is used for the announcement of the new pope with "Habemus Papum" and his Urbi et Orbi blessing. The relief under the balcony, by Buonvicino, shows Christ giving the keys to St. Peter. The facade is topped by 13 statues of apostles in Travertine stone. The dome was designed by Michelangelo and completed in 1593. The facade is topped by 13 statues in Travertine.

From left, the statues represent: Thaddeus, Matthew, Philip, Thomas, James the Elder, John the Baptist, Christ the Redeemer (in the center), Andrew, John the Evangelist, James the Younger, Bartholomew, Simon and Matthias. St. Peter's statue in this set is inside. On top of the colonnade are 140 statues of saints, crafted by a number of sculptors between 1662 and 1703. To the right of the southern gate of the colonnade is St. Macrina, grandmother of the Cappadocian fathers, followed by some founders of religious orders: St. Dominic, St. Francis, St. Bernard, St. Benedict, and St. Ignatius of Loyola. Some of the apostles are at the far end of the colonnade, outside the square and down the street. Statues of Popes and saints on the Colonnade of St. Peter's Square, and Michelangelo's Dome: Two clocks are on either side; the one on the left is electrically operated since 1931, with its oldest bell dating to 1288.

Stretching across the facade is the dedicatory inscription: IN HONOREM PRINCIPIS APOST PAVLVS V BVRGHESIVS ROMANVS PONT MAX AN MDCXII PONT VII (In honor of the prince of apostles; Paul V Borghese, pope, in the year 1612 and the seventh year of his pontificate). Eastern Colonade at sunset: Evening view of the grand east facade: Night view of the grand east facade: North Facade: South facade and colonnade of St. Peter's Square: Between the façade and the interior is the portico. Mainly designed by Maderno, it contains an 18th century statue of Charlemagne by Cornacchini to the south, and an equestrian sculpture of Emperor Constantine by Bernini (1670) to the north: The Dome of St. Peter's was designed by Michelangelo, who became chief architect in 1546. At the time of his death (1564), the dome was finished as far as the drum, the base on which domes sit.

The dome was vaulted between 1585 and 1590 by the architect Giacomo della Porta with the assistance of Domenico Fontana, who was probably the best engineer of the day. Fontana built the lantern the following year, and the ball was placed in 1593. The great double dome is made of brick and is 42.3 metres in interior diameter (almost as large as the Pantheon), rising to 120 metres above the floor. In the early 18th century cracks appeared in the dome, so four iron chains were installed between the two shells to bind it. The four piers of the crossing that support the dome are each 60 feet (18 meters) across. Uniquely, Michelangelo's dome is not a hemisphere, but a parabola: it has a vertical thrust, which is made more emphatic by the bold ribbing that springs from the paired Corinthian columns, which appear to be part of the drum, but which stand away from it like buttresses, to absorb the outward thrust of the dome's weight.

Above, the vaulted dome rises to Fontana's two-stage lantern, capped with a spire Dome morning view: Dome evening view: The Swiss Guard: A small force maintained by the Holy See, it is responsible for the safety of the Pope, including the security of the Apostolic Palace. The Swiss Guard serves as the de-facto military of Vatican City. Today the Papal Swiss Guard have taken over the ceremonial roles of the former units. At the end of 2005, there were 135 members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard: Doors: Door of the Sacraments by Venanzio Crochetti (1965), the regular entrance: The "Holy Door" is the Northern most entrance at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It is cemented shut and only opened for Jubilee Years. In bronze by Vico Consorti (1950), which is by tradition only opened for great celebrations such as Jubilee years. Above it are inscriptions. The top reads PAVLVS V PONT MAX ANNO XIII, the one just above the door reads GREGORIVS XIII PONT MAX. In between are white slabs commemorating the most recent openings.

Pope John Paul II opened the holy door in the jubilee years of 1983-84 and 2000-01: The door in the center is by Antonio Averulino (1455), and was preserved from the old basilica. It was too small for its new space, so panels were added at the top and bottom. Known as the Filarete Door after the artist's nickname, it has six panels that depict: Jesus and Mary enthroned; St. Paul with the sword; St. Peter giving the keys to the kneeling Pope Eugene IV; St. Paul sentenced by Nero; martyrdom of St. Paul; martyrdom of St. Peter on Vatican Hill; St. Paul appearing to Plautilla, to give her back the veil she had lent him to blindfold his eyes. The bas-reliefs between the framed panels show scenes from the pontificate of Eugene IV, and representatives at the Council of Ferrara-Florence, summoned in 1438 to reunite the Churches of the East and of the West: The Door of Death (the Door of the Deads) is the far left door into the basilica.

Its name derives from its traditional use as the exit for funeral processions as well as its subject matter. In preparation for the Holy Year of 1950, Pope Pius XII held a competition for three new bronze doors. This one was sculpted by Giacomo Manzù in 1961-64. Large relief panels depict the death of Jesus (top right), death of Mary (top left); violent death of Abel, serene death of Joseph, death of first pope, death of Pope John XXIII, death of first martyr Stephen, death of Gregory VII (in exile defending the Church), "death improvised in space" (meaning unclear to this author) and death of a mother at home: 2. St. Peter Basilica Interior: 2.1 Nave / Aisles / Transepts Monuments (clockwise walk) - quick round browsing (see details - later below): From the entrance walk LEFT. Moving around the basilica in a clockwise direction they are: The Baptistery: the Chapel of the Presentation of the Virgin with the body of St.

Pius X: the larger Choir Chapel, the Clementine Chapel with the altar of Saint Gregory, famous for "Gregorian Chant": the Sacristy Entrance, the left transept with altars to the Crucifixion of Saint Peter, Saint Joseph and Saint Thomas with a mosaic after Achille Funi, 1963: Altar of the Sacred Heart with a 1923 mosaic after Carlo Muccioli: the Chapel of the Madonna of Colonna, the altar of Saint Peter and the Paralytic, the apse with the Chair of Saint Peter: In the northwestern (right front) corner of the nave is the bronze statue of St. Peter Enthroned, now attributed to late 13th-century sculptor Arnolfo di Cambio: (Note: see our paragraph of the Catedral - below): the altar of Saint Peter raising Tabitha, the altar of the Archangel Michael, the altar of the Navicella, the right transept with altars of Saint Erasmus, Saints Processo and Martiniano, and Saint Wenceslas, the altar of Saint Basil, Altar of St.

Basil with a 1751 mosaic after a painting by Pietro Subleyras: the Gregorian Chapel with the altar of the Madonna of Succour, Chapel of St. Sebastian (Tomb of Pope Innocent XI) and the body of Blessed Innocent XI (1676-1689) under the Altar of St. Sebastian in the right aisle: and the Chapel of the Pietà. 2.2 The Nave: Immediately inside the central doors, a large round porphyry slab is set into the floor. Here Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Emperors knelt for their coronation in front of the high altar of the old basilica. Along the floor of the nave are markers with the comparative lengths of other churches, starting from the entrance. Along the pilasters are niches housing 39 statues of various saints. See pictures of Nave Monuments - further below. The insides of the pilasters that separate the nave from the side aisles have niches filled with statues of saints who founded religious orders. There are 39 of these in total throughout the church, spaced evenly in the nave and two transepts (see 2.4).

Just to your right as you enter the basilica is St. Teresa of Avila, a beloved Spanish saint who founded the Order of Discalced Carmelites. In the northwestern (right front) corner of the nave is the bronze statue of St. Peter Enthroned (or Sitting St. Peter), now attributed to late 13th-century sculptor Arnolfo di Cambio (some still date it back to the 5th century). It is robed and crowned on high festivals, and its outstretched foot is smoothed down due to centuries of pilgrims' caresses. chair above Sitting St. Peter statue: View down the central Nave to the Baldacchino and the yellow-windowed Cathedra of St. Peter, both by Bernini: Central Nave looking east to the entrance: 2.3 The Aisles: Right Aisle and Right Transept: In the right aisle, the first major sight is Michelangelo's beautiful Pietà (see clockwise browse - above), located immediately to the right of the entrance. The sculpture depicts the Virgin Mary cradling the dead Jesus in her lap after the crucifixion, and was completed when Michelangelo was just 24.

After it was vandalized with an axe in 1972, the sculpture was placed behind protective glass: Up the aisle is the monument of Queen Christina of Sweden, who abdicated in 1654 in order to convert to Catholicism: Further up are the monuments of popes Pius XI and Pius XII, as well as the altar of St Sebastian: Halfway to the transept is the large Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, entered through a Baroque wrought-iron grill designed by Francesco Borromini (1599-1667). Here the Blessed Sacrament (consecrated bread and wine) is exposed for the continuous adoration of the faithful. A notice reads: "Only those who wish to pray may enter." It is a rare place of silence and stillness in the tourist-filled basilica, and for many Catholics it is their favorite space: Inside the chapel, the sacrament is enshrined in a tabernacle of gilded bronze designed by Bernini (1674) and based on a more famous work by Bramante. It has statuettes of the twelve Apostles on the cornice and one of Jesus on the miniature dome.

It is encrusted with deep blue lapis lazuli and is flanked by two angels in gilded bronze (added later), kneeling in reverent prayer. Behind the altar is an oil painting by Pietro da Cortona (1596-1669) of the Trinity, the only canvas painting in the whole basilica: St. Elijah pointing to the light entering the apse. This was the third Founder Statue placed in St. Peter’s Basilica, and it finally established the Carmelites as a valid Order: St. Andrew the Apostle: Further down the right aisle are the monuments of Pope Gregory XIII (completed in 1723 by Carlo Rusconi) and Gregory XIV. The right transept of St. Peter's contains three altars, of St Wenceslas, St. Processo and St. Martiniano, and St. Erasmus. St. Jerome Chapel: where the right aisle runs into the Pier of St. Longinus is the body of Pope John XXIII (d. 1963), displayed in a glass case beneath the Altar of St. Jerome. The pope was beatified (a step towards sainthood) in 2000.

When the tomb was opened in order to move his body to the basilica in 2001, it was found to be uncorrupted and was therefore placed in a glass case. This location was chosen because the pope was a specialist in the church fathers and a devotee of St. Jerome in particular: Bernini's Baldacchino: At the crossing of the transepts is the central focus of the interior, the Baldacchino. This monumental canopy shelters the papal altar and the holy relics of St. Peter. Artistically, it also serves to fill the vertical space under Michelangelo's great dome. Made of 927 tons of dark bronze (removed from the Pantheon's roof in 1633) accented with gold vine leaves, the Baldacchino stands 90 feet (30 meters) tall. The Baldacchino was created by Lorenzo Bernini from 1624 to 1633 under the direction of Barberini Pope Urban VIII, who added Baroque embellishment to much of Rome. The spiral columns derive their shapes from the columns of the Baldacchino in the original St.

Peter's Basilica built by Constantine, which legend has it came from Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. Cherubs are repeated throughout the monument, giving an overall effect of the Ark of the Covenant. Symbols of the Barberini family can be seen throughout, including a golden sun and bees. Thus, in addition to being a beautiful work of art, the Baldacchino symbolizes the union of the Old Testament wisdom of Solomon, the Christian tradition of Constantine, and the rebirth of a triumphal church under the guidance of the Barberini family. Underside of Bernini's Baldacchino, directly above the high altar in St. Peter's Basilica: Cherub Angels overlooking the Baldacchino: The Confessio: At the foot of the Baldacchino and papal altar is the sunken Confessio, a 17th-century chapel named in honor of the confession of St. Peter that led to his martyrdom here. The Confessio is better seen from the crypt (or Grottoes) below, where there is a glass wall looking into it.

Although the Baldacchino and papal altar stand over Peter's tomb, the tomb itself cannot be seen either from here on in the crypt. Peter's tomb is on the other side of the Niche of the Pallium at the back of the Confessio, and can only be seen in the special Scavi tour of the ancient necropolis. The niche contains a silver coffer that seems like a good place for Peter's relics, but actually contains fabrics (each known as a "pallium") woven from the wool of lambs blessed on the feast of St. Agnes (Jan 21) and given to patriarchs and metropolitans as a reminder of the Church's unity. Behind the coffer is an early 8th-century mosaic of Christ, placed here by Pope Leo III (795-816). In his left hand Christ holds a Bible open at the Gospel of John, which bears the Latin inscription, "I am the way the truth and the life, the one who believes in me shall live.": Four Piers: Surrounding the Baldacchino are four great piers that support the huge dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

Each pier has a large niche at its base, which is filled with a colossal statue of a saint representing each of the basilica's four major relics (Reliquae Maggiori): NW pier - St Helena, Constantine's mother, holding a large cross (representing the relic of the True Cross found by the saint in Jerusalem): NE pier - St Longinus, the Roman soldier who thrust a spear in the side of Christ at the crucifixion, converted, and was later martyred (the relic is the spear): SE pier - St Andrew, with his trademark diagonal cross upon which he was martyred (the relic is Andrew's head, which was returned to the Greek Orthodox Church in 1964): SW pier - St Veronica, with the veil Christ used to wipe his face on the way to Calvary, leaving his image imprinted on it (representing the relic of Veronica's veil): The statue of Longinus is by Bernini (in 1639) and the others are by his followers. The relics themselves are kept in the podium of the Pier of St. Veronica and are displayed only during Holy Week.

The Vatican makes no official claims as to the authenticity of these relics —and in fact other Catholic churches claim to possess the same ones. The balconies above the niches are flanked by the 4th-century spiral columns of the Baldacchino in the Constantinian St. Peter's, and contain reliefs depicting the relics. Bernini Canopy (again): Canopy and Dome: Apse and High Altar of St. Peter (After a mass in the Apse of St. Peter): Apse and High Altar of St. Peter - mosaic presenting Punishment of Aneias and Saphira: At the far west end of the basilica is the tribune, which centers on the Cathedra of St. Peter. The enormous gilded bronze monument was designed by Bernini in 1666 to enclose an oak throne donated by Carolingian ruler Charles the Bald upon his coronation in St. Peter's in 875. The legs of the throne are decorated with finely pierced ivory bands made in the School at Tours. The 18 ivory plaques on the front of the chair were added slightly later, and show the 12 Labors of Hercules and six monsters.

Bernini's monument is topped by a yellow window featuring the Holy Spirit as a dove surrounded by 12 rays, symbolising the apostles. To the right of the chair are St Ambrose and St Augustine (fathers of the Latin church), and to the left are St Athanasius and St John Chrysostom (fathers of the Greek church). On the right wall of the chapel is the monument to Pope Urban VIII by Bernini: and the left wall has the monument to Paul III. Left Transept and Left Aisle: At the end of the left aisle, west of the transept, is the Chapel of the Column. This contains the Altar of Our Lady of the Column on the south side. The altarpiece is an ancient image of the Virgin Mary that was painted on a marble column in the central nave of the original basilica. In 1607 it was placed on this altar designed by Giacomo Della Porta, framed by the marble and alabaster columns. In 1981, John Paul II had a mosaic reproduction of it set on the external wall of the palazzo facing St. Peter's Square, which is illuminated at night.

Under the altar is a 4th-century sarcophagus that holds the remains of Popes Leo II (682-83), Leo III (795-816), and Leo IV (847-55). To the left of the altar in the same chapel is the Altar of Pope St. Leo the Great (440-61) by Alessandro Algardi, 1645-53. This is the only altarpiece of marble relief in the basilica. Leo was a highly influential pope and was the first to be buried in St. Peter's. The marble bas-relief depicts Leo's famous meeting with Attila the Hun, who was going to attack Rome until Leo convinced him otherwise, with St. Paul supporting him in the sky. Heading back towards the entrance, between the Chapel of the Column and the left transept is the monument to Pope Alexander (Chigi) VII (d. 1667) by Bernini, 1671-78. The door below symbolizes the Gate of Death, above which a skeleton lifts a fold of red marble drapery and holds an hourglass.

He is flanked on the right by a statue representing Truth or religion, who rests her foot on a globe — specifically placed upon the British Isles, symbolizing the pope's problems with the Church of England. Three other figures represent Charity, Prudence and Justice. The left transept contains the altars of St. Peter's Crucifixion, St. Thomas and St. Joseph and the body of St. Boniface IV.: Just beyond the left transept as you head back to the entrance is the monument to Pope Pius VIII (1829-30) by Pietro Tenerani, 1866. This pope was imprisoned in 1808 during the French domination of Italy for refusing to take the oath of allegiance to Napoleon. On a happier note, he approved the decrees of the Council of Baltimore (October 1829), the first formal meeting of US bishops. The Pope is shown kneeling in prayer, accompanied by a statue of Christ enthroned and statues of Sts. Peter and Paul. The allegories are Prudence and Justice. The door under the monument is the entrance to the Sacristy and Treasury Museum.

In front of the monument is a mass schedule for the basilica. East of the left transept is the Clementine Chapel, which contains the Altar of Pope St. Gregory the Great (590-604). The altarpiece, a mosaic reproduction of a 1625 painting by Sacchi, depicts a miracle in which St. Gregory used a knife to cause blood to flow from a corporal cloth. Beneath the altar is the tomb of Gregory, which can be seen through a grille: The last chapel before you leave is the Presentation Chapel, which centers on the Altar of the Presentation of Mary. The altarpiece, which shows the young Mary being presented in the Temple by her parents, is a mosaic by Cristofari of 1726-28, based on a painting by Romaneli done in 1638-42. Below the altar is the body of Pope St. Pius X (1904-1914), the last pope to be canonized. His face and hands are covered in silver. Pius X is known for his emphasis on religious education, and for his opposition to modernism.

He allowed children to take communion, and encouraged the sacrament to be practiced daily. At the same chapel - Monument in memorial of Pope John Paul XXIII: After the chapel and on your right is the monument to Pope Benedict XV (1914-22) by Pietro Canonica, 1928. The Pope is shown in fervent prayer, kneeling on a tomb which commemorates the First World War, which he described as a "useless massacre." The tomb is covered in olive branches, symbols of peace. Above the statue is Mary, presenting Jesus, Prince of Peace, to the world in flames: On your left as you leave is the Monument to the Royal Stuarts, a pyramidal masterpiece by Antonio Canova. It commemorates King James III, the "Old Pretender" to the English throne who lived in exile in Rome. Also commemorated are his two sons, Bonnie Prince Charlie and Henry. It marks the spot in the grottoes below where the three last members of the royal House of Stuart lie buried. Next to this is the tomb of Maria Clementina Sobieska (by Pietro Bracci, 1739), a princess who received the rare honor of burial in St.

Peter's normally reserved for popes and saints. The wife of James Stuart, she earned this honor through her crusade for the Catholic faith. The main statue is the personification of Charity (or Love of God), and an angel holds a portrait of the deceased in mosaic: On the left just inside the entrance is the baptistery, where a porphyry cover from a 4th-century sarcophagus is used as the baptismal font. It previously covered the tomb of emperor Otho II (973-983) in the Vatican Grottoes. Partial List of 39 monuments of Saints: Saint Peter's tomb: 1000+ images about Michelangelo：Pietà on Pinterest | Rome italy, Vatican city and Michelangelo Michelangelo, La Pieta _ I want to see this in person!! I love love LOVE this sculpture!!! I have a small replica at home.... See More Pietà by Michelangelo St.Peter in Vatican Rome Pietà by Michelangelo in St.Piter in Vatican Rome.

Pietà by Michelangelo In 1498 after Christ, Michelangelo, only 22 years old, writes a contract, guaranteed by Jacopo Galli, with the French Cardinal of San Dionigi, for the realization, within a year, of a "Pietà" (pity) in marble destined to be placed in the Basilica of San Pietro . On a piece of marble personally chosen in the pits of Carrara, Michelangelo represents the isolated aspects of the Virgin Mary holding in her arms the body of the Christ right after it was taken down from the Crosse, according to an iconography that, during this period, had found a large consensus on the other side of the Alps. 1.74cm high, the "Pietà" of Michelangelo presents strong particularities in the anatomy and also in the finishes of the drapes, with translucent effects of accentuated by the way in which the light seemed to caress the marble superficies. One of the things that most surprises on the sculpture is the aspect extremely young the artist wanted to give to the face of the Virgin Mary; this choice, strongly criticized by the contemporaneous, finds its justification in the abstract character of the composition.

In the intentions of the sculptor, the Madonna probably represents the entire humanity and as such, using the words of the "Divine Comedy" of Dante, she is the "Virgin Mother, daughter of your son". On the face of the Christ are absents the signs of the Passion, Michelangelo, in fact, does not desire the objective representation of the death but expresses his own religious vision in the abandoned and, anyway, serene face of the Son, as a testimony of the communion between man and God sanctified with the sacrifice of the Saver. It is said that Michelangelo, not used to firm the own works, after he had casually heard some visitors from Lombardy say that the "Pietà" was the work of Gobbo di Milano, went to the Basilica of San Pietro on the night itself, and engraved on the work the writing: "Angelus Bonarotus Florentinus Faciebat". The sculpture was placed in 1499 after Christ in the Chapel of Santa Petronilla in San Pietro, where it stays until 1517 after Christ when it is moved to the old Sacristy.

Since 1749 after Christ the work is placed in its actual location and it has abandoned the Basilica of San Pietro only to be welcomed to the Universal Exhibition of New York from 1962 to 1964. Following the gesture of a silly person, who in 1972 damaged the work with numerous hammer beats, after the restoration it has been decided to protect the sculpture with a crystal wall.

Question: Who sculpted the Pieta in the north aisle of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City?
Answer: MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI